apache/hadoop · error · IOException

Can't make directory for path %s since it is a file.

Error message

Can't make directory for path %s since it is a file.

What it means

Error "Can't make directory for path %s since it is a file." thrown in apache/hadoop.

Source

Thrown at hadoop-common-project/hadoop-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/fs/sftp/SFTPFileSystem.java:344

      Path parent = absolute.getParent();
      created =
          (parent == null || mkdirs(client, parent, FsPermission.getDefault()));
      if (created) {
        String parentDir = parent.toUri().getPath();
        boolean succeeded = true;
        try {
          final String previousCwd = client.pwd();
          client.cd(parentDir);
          client.mkdir(pathName);
          client.cd(previousCwd);
        } catch (SftpException e) {
          throw new IOException(String.format(E_MAKE_DIR_FORPATH, pathName,
              parentDir));
        }
        created = created & succeeded;
      }
    } else if (isFile(client, absolute)) {
      throw new IOException(String.format(E_DIR_CREATE_FROMFILE, absolute));
    }
    return created;
  }

  /**
   * Convenience method, so that we don't open a new connection when using this
   * method from within another method. Otherwise every API invocation incurs
   * the overhead of opening/closing a TCP connection.
   * @throws IOException
   */
  private boolean isFile(ChannelSftp channel, Path file) throws IOException {
    try {
      return !getFileStatus(channel, file).isDirectory();
    } catch (FileNotFoundException e) {
      return false; // file does not exist
    } catch (IOException ioe) {
      throw new IOException(E_FILE_CHECK_FAILED, ioe);
    }

View on GitHub (pinned to 2add963021)

Solutions

1. Choose a different path: a file already exists at the directory location.
2. Remove or rename the conflicting file before calling mkdirs.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown by SFTPFileSystem.mkdirs when the target path already exists on the server as a regular file instead of a directory.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of apache/hadoop@2add963021 (2026-08-22). Data as JSON: /api/errors/09d756d5f6c00adc. Report an issue: GitHub.